Stolen
by Rogallia
Summary: Kagome gets kidnapped and has to deal with the after effects and learn how to trust her friends again.
1. Chapter 1

The group was sitting around a campfire in a small clearing in the woods. They'd just finished a jewel-shard battle with a spider youkai that afternoon and were all tired from the fight. Unfortunately, all they had to show for it was one tiny shard and a large painful gash down Miroku's right arm. The spider youkai had decided the best way to counter-act his wind tunnel would be to cut the arm off. Everyone else was alright, but they'd decided to rest there a few days before continuing their journey.

Kagome sidled over a bit closer towards Inuyasha, looking up at him with her big, brown, innocent eyes. "Inuyasha," she began sweetly.

"No." He cut her off with a low growl. She'd already tried to get him to take her home twice that day.

"You didn't even know what I was gonna ask! And this test is _really_ important for me! I could fail my class if I don't take it!" Kagome shouted at him glaring daggers.

"I'm not draggin' you all the way back there just for you stupid school thing!" The hanyou growled at her, crossing his arms over his chest and glared right back.

"Why not? Its not like we can go anywhere else while Miroku heals! I might as well spend the time in _my_ time!"

"I said no!" _Something doesn't feel right tonight. She'd just laugh at me if I told her I have a feeling something bad's gonna happen if we leave anywhere._ Of course there was also the reason of him not wanting to be away from her even for a day, but he wasn't about to admit that one even to himself.

"Fine." Kagome stood up and began gathering up her shower things.

_Eh? She's giving up too easily..._ Inuyasha braced himself in preparation

"Sango, you up for a bath?"

"Huh? Oh, uh.. No, thank you Kagome. I think I'm good for now." The demon slayer turned back to gently rebandaging the houshi's arm, trying to look like she was ignoring his looks at her while secretly enjoying the attention.

"Oh. Alright then." She turned and began walking towards the nearby hot springs.

_Maybe she's not gonna sit me...I wonder if she's feeling alright?_

"Oh, and Inuyasha?" She turned, flashing a stunning smile at him, making the hanyou's heart skip a beat. He just glanced over at her though, keeping a bored expression on his face. "SIT!!SitSitSitSitSitSitSitSitSitSitSitSit!!!!!"

"GYAAA!!" Inuyasha crashed into the ground, leaving a large dent in the ground.

"Wait for me, Kagome!" Shippou raced after her. Bath time was always so much more fun with Kagome, because she would play water tag with him and toss him in the air so he could flip into the water.

"Argh, Shippou! Where you goin'!" Inuyasha had never liked the idea of the kitsune brat bathing with Kagome, even if he was just a kid, but all the extra 'sit's had him still pinned to the ground.

_----_

_Aah, at least his Royal Pain is letting me take my bath in peace._ Kagome sighed as she neatly piled her clothes on the bank, sticking the bottle of shikon shards underneath the stack. She liked Inuyasha, she really did. But sometimes he was just too much to deal with. She got into the water and swam around for a little while, just enjoying the feel of the hot water on her skin and relaxing after the stressful battles of the day. She never felt the hands that slowly snuck down on her neck, pinching the nerves that would send her into a world of unconciousness.

-----

Author's Note thingie:

Hello! This is my first fic so any reviews would be reeaalllly helpful! Hope ya'll enjoyed and the next chapter should be up in a day or so, and it'll probably be a bit longer. Thanks and enjoy :)

Roggie


	2. Chapter 2

1Shippou bounded after Kagome, on their way to bathe in the hot springs when he sensed a faint youkai presence. Frightened, he ducked behind a bush before he was discovered. The kitsune cub peaked through the leaves in time to see Kagura pinch Kagome's neck and she went limp.

"I don't know why Naraku wants you, instead of simply killing you," the wind witch complained. "Stupid human." With that she stepped back on her feather and carried Kagome off into the darkening night.

Shippou ran out of his hiding spot when he saw it was safe, grabbed up Kagome's clothes that she hadn't had time to put back on, and ran as fast as his little legs would carry him back to the camp.

"Oi, runt! Whatcha running off with Kagome's clothes for?!" Inuyasha yelled, plucking the cub up by his tail. He'd decided to go for a walk in the woods to work off some steam, and decided that the hot springs would be a pretty place to walk around.

"Aaah! Inuyasha! You gotta help Kagome!" Poor Shippou was struggling to get free.

"Help her what? Sit me? Feh!" He let the cub down.

"No! Kagura kidnaped her, stupid!" Shippou threw the pile of clothes at his face. "She came and just plucked her out of the water! We gotta go save her!"

"Oi, c'mon, Shippou. We gotta get the others."

Inuyasha grabbed at the clothes, inhaling the sweet scent they gave off when he felt the bump in the middle. _Well, at least they didn't get the shards. How did this happen? Why didn't I smell her coming? Why didn't Kagome at least scream? I woulda heard he scream! Ooh, I knew something bad was gonna happen today!_ He kept up the mental barrage on himself as they ran back to the campsite, where Miroku and Sango where just about to fall asleep, a little closer than normal he noticed somewhere in the back of his mind.

"Miroku! Sango! Get your stuff together, we're goin!" Inuyasha started yelling before he even came in sight of them.

"Inuyasha, what is troubling you?" Miroku asked, his voice full of concern though his eyes were following Sango as she went behind a bush to change into her slayers outfit.

"Kagome's been kidnapped. Now hurry up and get goin!" With that, Inuyasha was off back to the hot spring to try and pick up her scent and track them. The trail head northwards..and up. He wouldn't be able to track her through the air, but he could certainly well try! This was Kagome's life on the line here!

- - - -

Kagome woke up slowly, feeling more than slightly dizzy. She felt strong arms wrapped around her protectivly and relaxed into the embrace. "Inuyasha? Where are you taking me?" she mumbled sleepily.

"Heh heh heh..." The deep throated chuckle brought her fully awake with a scream. "Inuyasha will soon be no more."

"Naraku! How'd I get here? Let me go!" Kagome struggled against his hold, trying to gather her miko energies to force her way free.

"Ah, poor little Kagome. So weak and defenseless without your powers. I gave you a potion that will block out your miko energy until I give you the antidote. Which I doubt that I shall do. And don't think your hanyou lover will be coming to rescue you. I had you flown in, there is no way for him to track you!"

They'd reached the end of the long and dark corridor. Naraku pulled a key out of his pocket and unlocked a barred door, throwing her into the back wall of a small cell room. He followed slowly, enjoying the site of her scrambling away from him in fear. He reached out and grabbed Kagome by her wrists and shackled them together from chains hanging down from the ceiling. Naraku then grabbed the other end of the chains and pulled, so that she dangled a good 2 feet off the ground. Naraku turned around and slowly left the cell, locking the door behind him. Kagome shivered from the cold where she hung, yelling as loud as she could, "Damn you Naraku! Inuyasha will come for me! I know he will!" _At least, I hope he does, after all those 'sit's_, she amended silently as a tear wound its way down her cheek.

- - - -

Two days later the group was paused by a shallow spring, waiting for Inuyasha to come down from the treetops with hopefully some idea as to where they were going. He landed lightly in front of their little group and looking at their sad and worried faces, he didn't have the heart to tell them he'd lost the track early yesterday afternoon.

"It's this way," he said gruffly and was about to launch himself racing back into the trees when he felt a small tug on his pants.

"Wait a minute, Inuyasha. We're going round in circles!" Shippou pointed out one of his crying mushrooms leading a trail of them out of, and back into, the clearing.

"Feh!" Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest. "So I made one mistake. I got it this time."

"Inuyasha, if you don't know which way it is, perhaps we should sit for a moment figure out the best way to track down Naraku's castle." Miroku spoke quietly from his seat on a rock, holding his injured arm while trying to ignore the pain.

"Besides, we need to rest." Sango glanced at Miroku's wound. "We week humans can't keep going as long as you can."

"We don't have time for resting now! Who knows what that bastard could be doing to her? The longer we wait the more danger she's in!"

"How do you expect us to be able to fight Naraku if we're collapsing from exhaustion before we even get there? I know we have to hurry, Inuyasha. We're just as worried about Kagome, she's our friend too!" Inuyasha inwardly winced a bit at Sango's hurt tone. "We'd do best by her to be at full fighting capability when we get there. Naraku's taken her for a reason and he's not just going to hand her over with a nice shiny bow in her hair!" Sango imitated the hanyou, crossing her arms and glaring right back.

"Feh!" With that said, Inuyasha glared at everyone for good measure and jumped onto a low hanging branch, guarding the camp while the others got a fire started and set up camp for the night.

Sango walked over to the spring to get some water to boil for their ramman. Thankfully, Kagome had brought an extra supply with her back from her last trip to her world as a surprise for Inuyasha, but now they all shared it so they didn't have to waste energy hunting for food. She filled the kettle and set over the fire to boil and sat next to Miroku. She could tell he was also worried about what was going to happen to their friend - he hadn't tried to grope her once though she'd left him many opportunities. Hey, just because it was inappropriate didn't mean she couldn't enjoy it once in awhile, right?

"Do you think we'll be able to find her in time?" She asked the monk worriedly.

"Don't worry, Sango. We'll get there in time." _In time for what, though?_ they both worried. The monk filled the cups with water and passed them up to everyone. Shippou took an extra one up to Inuyasha in his tree, knowing it was his favourite food.

"Keh. Thanks, runt." Inuyasha took the cup and just stared at it moodily. Sensing it might be safer to leave him be, Shippou ran back down and sat with Kirara, confidently reassuring the fire neko that everything would work out fine. They quickly finished eating and lay down to sleep. Inuyasha finally gulped down his rammen and settled down to wait for the morning. There would be no sleep for him until Kagome was safely back.


	3. Chapter 3

1WARNING! This chapter contains rape and strong violence.

Kagome hung from her chains, wondering how long she'd been down there. There was no way to count the time, she was locked in a never changing world of darkness. She could tell that she had missed a few meals at least, from the way her stomach was rumbling. _As if food is my top priority right now. _She shivered in the cold. _They could've at least given me a blanket or something! Its freezing in this place!_ She tried to reach out to her miko energies for the umpteenth time. She could feel them there, but it was like reaching through one a 10 foot wall of plexiglass - so close, yet so far away.

Slowly, the door started opening. She hid her face from the sudden light. "Inuyasha! I knew you'd find me!"

"Heh heh...not quite, miko." Naraku chuckled quietly at her optimism. She was going to be so much fun to break.

"Let me go, you bastard! Your ass is as good as dead soon as my friends get here!" She tried to kick at him, but he just swatted her away like a fly.

"I seriously doubt that, girl. The only way you're getting out of here is if you agree to find the Shikon Jewel shards for me."

"I would never help a monster like you!" She spat at him, nodding satisfactorly as it landed on his face.

Naraku was in front of her in a second and slapped her hard across the face, making her see stars for a full minute. "I was _so_ hoping you would say that." He unfastened the chain from the wall and watched as she dropped the two feet to the ground, the rest of the chain falling heavily on top of her. He took up the loose end and dragged her across the rough stone towards the last door at the other end of the hall. He opened it to reveal a flight of stairs descending into darkness and kicked her down, enjoying the sound of her screams as she fell.

- - - -

"Alright, we've waited long enough. Everyone wake up!" Inuyasha jumped off his branch and started shaking everyone awake.

Miroku was the first one to gather his wits. "You have found a way to track her then?"

"I found Kagura's scent. Its faint and over a week old at the least, but that's all we got for now."

"A week? But Kagome's only been gone for 3 days. Are you sure this will work?" Shippou climbed up onto Inuyasha's shoulder. He'd never been more than a foot away from someone else since Kagome'd been taken.

"I don't see as we have any other choice. It's not as if Naraku is going to leave marker-posts for us to follow." Miroku straightened his robes and offered Sango a hand up, which she took.

"Kirara?"

"Mrar!" The fire neko changed into her larger form and the two humans hopped on her back. Inuyasha stayed on the ground, following the scent as it seemed to wind this way and that, but always northwards too. Kirara scouted up ahead above the tree line, looking out for any youkai foolish enough to get in their way.

- - - -

Naraku followed Kagome down the stairs at his usual slow pace. It amused him the way this stupid girl actually tried to get up. Did she think she might run away? How foolish. He shoved her back down to the stone floor and continued dragging her over to the far wall. As they crossed the room, Kagome could see all sorts of chains and torture the devices, some of which she couldn't (or wouldn't) imagine a purpose for. Naraku walked slow, making sure she got a good look.

"This is where those who don't obey me go, human." He allowed himself a small smile as he smelled the fear scent spike coming from her.

"Do what you want to me, you evil bastard! I'll never help you!" She spat at him again, earning her another hard slap. Naraku made sure to use his claws this time.

"Oh, yes, I do believe I will do exactly as I please." He threw her against the wall, laughing. He unclasped her wrists, only to spread them above her head in new shackles attached to the wall. Then he bent down to do the same for her legs, but she kicked him in the face.

"Such a fiesty bitch you are. We'll definatly have to do something to fix that." He snapped the offensive leg to the side, breaking her knee cap and the proceed to finish shackling her to the wall. He relished in the loud screams coming from her.

He went over to a table setup nearby that was laid out with all sorts of delicious implements. This was just the beginning so he decided to start with something simple. He picked up a leather cat o' nine tails and cracked it in the air a few times.

"Let's see. That was three times you tried to attack me. Hm... I think about 30 lashes should be sufficient, don't you agree?" He didn't give her a chance to respond and began whipping her, the nine tethers leaving huge gashes in her skin and eventually tearing small chunks of flesh away. Naraku grinned even fiercer with each scream she cried, feeling his loins stir at her pain.

He replaced the whip on the table after his thirty lashes. After all, he was a man of his word, yes? He glanced over at the girl, who was still screaming her head off in her pain. This was all so delicious. At last her cries subsided, leaving her snuffling quietly. "Will you now find the shards for me, whore?" He grabbed her by the chin and jerked her head up painfully, forcing her to look at him.

"Never..." Kagome managed to get the words out between her clenched teeth.

"Very well then." He picked up an iron rod. _Crude, but it will do._ He broke her other leg. He wondered if anyone outside the castle walls could hear her screams. He bet they could. The scent of her blood mingled with the sound of her screams and the smell of her fear... it was all becoming too much for him and he decided to forgo all the other wonderful and delicious forms of torture he'd had planned for her. "Tell me, Kagome. Has Inuyasha ever taken you? Not that it matters." He dropped his pants and thrust himself into her. Every thrust of his banged her bruised body against the wooden wall, making her see stars.

Kagome could feel the darkness creeping up on her as she was being ruthlessly violated. She screamed but that just seemed to give the monster more energy. "Inuyashaaaa!" was the last thing she cried out before the darkness claimed her.

Naraku frowned as her screams ceased when the stupid girl lost consciousness. With a roar, he released his seed into her. As his other senses reasserted themselves, he sensed that a battle was being fought not too far off by another part of him. He wondered which of his 'children' it was, and went back up the stairs to the main part of the castle to prepare.


	4. Chapter 4

Kagura sat on the edge of a cliff overlooking a scenic valley. This is where she came to relax, when her need to be out of that wretched castle was too much and she had to be free. The wind was always strong here, rushing up the cliff face and she reveled in it, the rush of air caressing her. Someday she would be as free. She sighed and stared moodily down into the valley.

Suddenly she came alert as a new scent assaulted her nose. "So, Inuyasha. You have finally found us. It took you long enough." She quirked a small smile and rose, loosening her fan from where it hung from her side.

"Feh. You make it sound like you led us here. Where's Kagome? What have you done with her!" Inuyasha and company emerged from the wood and squared off facing the witch.

"Of course I led you here! How else could I expect such a stupid hanyou and this human rabble to find and kill Naraku for me. Once Sesshomarou smells your death-scent, he will come to investigate and kill that bastard. Now, die Inuyasha!" With that, she sent a whirlwind swirling at them.

"Bitch! You think I can't kill him myself? I'd show you myself, but you'll already be dead!" He skittered out of the way of her attack and unleashed his Tetsusaiga. _Damn, she's blocking the wind scar. How'm I supposed to defeat her without Kagome's arrow to break the scar?_

Sango hopped on Kirara's back and the fire neko raced out of Kagura's field of vision. "Hiraikotsu!" She aimed for the back of Kagura's head, only to have it blown off course with the flick of a finger.

"Dance of Blades!" Kagura sent it out towards Sango and Kirara, but the cat easily dodged it.

Inuyasha charged while she was being distracted and was blown into a tree.

"Honestly, Inuyasha. Do you really think you can beat me?" She flicked the fan again and sent more airblades right at Inuyasha's heart. He blocked with Tetsusaiga and charged at her again. Just as Kagura readied to rebuke him again, Miroku threw one of his ofuda into her winds. Inuyasha began to see the faintest hint of a scar, not nearly as easily as with Kagome's arrows,_ but I'll take whatever I can get at this point._

"Kaze no kizu!" The attack was almost ridiculously weak, but it was enough to knock Kagura off balance for a moment long enough to drive his sword through where her heart should've been.

"Ha! Foolish Inuyasha! You would've killed me," she blew him back into a tree, "if Naraku didn't have my heart in a jar." Laughing manically she slashed relentlessly at him with her windblades.

Inuyasha was forced into a defensive stance, blocking off each attack with his sword, using it as a shield. _ Grrr...we don't have time for this bullshit!_ He looked over to Miroku, who nodded at the signal.

_I really, _really_ hope there are no saimyosho about right now..._ With a sigh and a prayer, Miroku unwrapped his prayer beads in their pre-arranged last ditch move. "Kazana!" Kagura tried to build up a barrier of wind to shield against it, but Sango and Inuyasha attacked her from either side, distracting her long enough for the wind tunnel to do its work.

"Tomo arrigato, Inuya..." where the last words to be spoken by Kagura the wind witch as she faded into the darkness.

- - - -

"Damn you, Kagura." Naraku watched in frustration as the heart he held in his hand evaporated. _So, he has come for the girl. I wonder, will he take her back in such a state? Foolish hanyou._ He proceeded to the lower levels of the castle, to the room where the girl was still chained to the wall. She hadn't moved since he'd left her there the day before. He ignored her, she'd fulfilled her purpose, and began preparations for his guests.

- - - -

"Inuyasha, are you alright?" Sango looked worriedly at the wounds covering his arms.

"Feh, they're scratches. Lets go get Kagome back."

They ran through the woods as fast as they could go and shortly came within site of the castle. _ Strange, there is no barrier in place._ "Inuyasha, wait. I fear this may be a trap; he's expecting us.

"Of course it's a trap, numbskull! Why else would he take Kagome? Let's go!"

Sango pulled him back. "So we should go running blindly into an ambush? We won't do her much good if we're dead."

"This is taking too long! Kagome's in danger! We need to get to her _now!_" Not daring to wait any longer, he dashed off brandishing Tetsusaiga.

"We're doomed..." Miroku sighed.

"Yup." Sango nodded.

"Since this might be the last time we're ever alone together, my dear Sango,"

SLAP! "You never give up, do you monk?"

"You didn't even let me finish!" He rubbed the red spot on his cheek before rushing off after Sango and Kirara.

- - - -

"You finally came to retrieve your bitch, Inuyasha. How touching."

"Where is she, you flea bitten monkey!" He slashed at the white cape.

"Such a temper, Inuyasha. She is alive, for now. Which is more than I can say for you!" Tentacles shot out from underneath the baboon belt, shooting after Inuyasha while another branch aimed for the humans. Inuyasha slashed at them mercilessly and Hiraikotsu went flying. And for every tentacle they cut off, three more replaced it.

"Heh heh heh...your attacks are useless, Inuyasha. Now die!" One of the tentacles came around behind Inuyasha and shot through his stomach. He flew through the dirt, leaving a wide ditch in his wake as Tetsusaiga flew from his opened hands. Two more came at Sango and Miroku, slamming them into the dirt and pinning them there. And just to be sure, Naraku let loose a large cloud of his miasma, chocking everyone in the area.

"Feh. You think a little poison is gonna stop me?" Inuyasha was crouching in a sprinter's stance where he had fallen with his hair hanging over his face. A light breeze brushed it aside briefly and Naraku caught the sight of his red eyes - and the changed scent of his blood. Without the slightest warning, Inuyasha sprang and ripped a large chunk of tentacles out from under the baboon cape. He launched himself off the fallen limbs and sliced Naraku's head off with a sweep of his claws. The pelt and tentacles abrubtly vanished, leaving a carved wooden figure tied with string in its place. The castle began evaporating, but Inuyasha gave no notice. He raised his blood red eyes looking for new prey. His eyes landed where Miroku and Sango were just sitting up.

"Oh, no. He's transformed into a demon!" They both cast their eyes about frantically for Tetsusaiga. Inuyasha launched at the pair, but they split aside and konked him on the head. Kirara ran up carrying Tetsusaiga and dropped it on his back. They watched in relief as the purple lines receded from his face.

A few moments later, his nose began to twitch and his eyes flew open. _Kagome's blood!_ He ran off to where the back of the castle hade been and felt his heart break as he saw her battered and beaten body lying naked in the dirt, the chains still locked onto her limbs. He bundled her gently into his arms, trying to hide the tears that began spill. _My Kagome! This is all my fault, I'm so sorry..._ The pain from his wound began to catch up with him. The last thing he heard was Kagome's scream for help as she struggled to get away from while he fell limply over her body. _ Yes, she should be afraid of me for letting this happen to her..."_

_- - - -_

_A/n: hm.. This is definatetly going to have to be rewritten. Sorry! I'm not very good with fight scenes! :( Thanks for reading! Please review! _

_Roggie_


	5. Chapter 5

Inuyasha came to alone under a shady tree. He sat up against its trunk, wincing as his still healing stomach muscles protested the abuse. _I'm all bandaged. Did Kagome do this?_ He looked up hopefully as he saw someone coming towards him, blinking his eyes against the bright morning sun. "Kagome?"

"Sorry, Inuyasha. It's just me." Sango knelt by his side with a slightly steaming bowl of water and a clean cloth. "I came to change your bandages. You were really hurt in that battle with Naraku's puppet."

"Feh. I don't need none of your help." He lied down on his stomach anyway and let her tend to him. "So, where is Kagome, anyway? She was pretty hurt too. She can't be all healed by now."

"She's in that hut over there." Sango gently unwrapped the bandages off his back and began cleaning up the wound. "We thought it best if she stayed alone for a little while, after the way she reacted to you yesterday afternoon. Kirara's watching over her in case anything changes." She put an ointment from Kagome's bag that she'd explained was good for cuts on a bandage and wrapped up that side. "Roll over, please."

Inuyasha complied. "Feh. Has she been up at all yet? Say anything about what happened to her or why? I'm going to kill Naraku the next time I see him, that fucking bastard!"

"She's been awake enough for me to give her some water a few times during the night, but that's about it. She hasn't spoken a word and falls right back asleep after she drinks." She finished wrapping the bandage around him and looked up into his big golden eyes. She felt her heart break at the worry and sadness she saw reflected in them. _Poor Inuyasha..._ "Don't worry. She'll be alright soon." He just nodded, staring off at the hut. She knew that in Inuyashaese that translated to a "thanks" so she just smiled and left him alone with his thoughts. She went to go sit by Miroku and Shippou around the campfire and get more water boiling.

He waited until Sango left. Using Tetsusaiga to pull him up, Inuyasha slowly made his way to Kagome's hut. He pushed the reed mat door aside and gasped at what he saw, falling to his knees beside her. Kagome was lying on top of her sleeping bag with Sango's kimono draped lightly over her. She fidgeted a bit and it slid off her side a little bit, revealing that most of her body was covered in bandages. Inuyasha readjusted it and stroked her hair gently. Both her legs were in splints and her wrists and ankles were giant bruises from the chains she'd had on. She made a slight whimpering noise, which Kirara and the others had come to recognize as her "I'm thirsty" signal, and the neko nosed a bucket of water toward him. He nodded and pulled Kagome up gently and moved his body closer to support her weight so she could sit up without moving too much. He ladled some water and held it up to her mouth, which she opened when she felt the metal pressing against it. The whole while she never opened her eyes, still mostly asleep. He pushed the bucket aside when she stopped drinking and just sat there holding her against him, crying silently inside alternately with rage and sorrow for what had been done to her.

A short while later Sango entered with another steaming bowl of water and a large pile of bandages. "She should get cleaned up some again, Inuyasha."

"Leave it. I'll do it this time." He didn't turn around from where he was sitting with Kagome.

"Are you sure? Some of the wounds are pretty bad..."

_What, she thinks I'm gonna peak at a time like this? She's been hanging around Miroku too long. _"I'm just as good at this as you are. She was the healer one of us... You should probably have Miroku put up some barriers around this place. We're not leaving till she's better and I don't need demons attacking us all the time."

"Alright. I'll see about some lunch for us too." She put the water and bandages down next to them and walked out.

Inuyasha lay her down gently on her sleeping bag and starting from her shoulders began washing and rebandaging her innumerable wounds. He vowed for every cut on her skin there would be 100 gashes from his sword on Naraku. He worked in grim silence until he came to the bandages on her thighs. They smelled faintly of Naraku. _Oh, no, he didn't!_ But he had to be sure. Silently apologizing for what he was about to do, he stuck his nose between her legs and took a good whiff. Just as he'd feared, Naraku's scent was still strong inside her along with the scent of her being in season. _God fucking damn. Could things get any worse?_ With shaking hands, he finished bandaging her up. He reached to replace Sango's kimono over her, deciding that the slayer might like to change out of her armour eventually. He took off his fire-rat robe and placed it over her gently before walking out to the others with the dirty bandages.

- - - -

Kagome woke up reluctantly. She couldn't remember exactly where she was, but she did remember it was bad and her nap had been her only respite. As her senses started coming back, she realized that she was lying down and she could move her arms. She tried to bring her wrists together to rub the soreness away when she noticed the bright red fabric that kept getting in the way. _Inuyasha's...? Then he's here? Where _is_ here?_ She tried to sit up, but that brought back the full force of her pain. All other thoughts of how and why were driven out of her head, all she could do was cry for the pain to go away.

Sango and Shippou were in the hut in a flash, kneeling next to Kagome. Inuyasha and Miroku followed right behind but they didn't get very far into the room. As soon as Kagome saw them, she wrapped her arms close around her herself and started crying even more. "NO! Stay away from me! Don't touch me!"

Shippou took a tentative step towards her. "Kagome? Don't you remember us?"

"Shh...Kagome, it's ok. It's just us, your friends. We're not going to hurt you." Sango put her hands on her arms, trying to comfort the terrified girl. Kagome threw the arms off trying to curl more into herself. "Don't touch me! Please!" She kept throwing fearful glances towards the two men and finally Sango got the hint.

"Alright, you two. Out!" She glared at them for emphasis. Inuyasha glared back before drooping his ears a bit and following the monk out. "It's ok, Kagome. I'm here for you." She offered a rag for her to wipe her eyes and blow her nose and just sat with her, murmuring reassurances. Kagome clutched Shippou in a tight bear hug as the girl cried herself into an exhausted oblivion.

- - - -

"Well?" Miroku passed Sango a bowl of soup as she joined the men by the campfire.

"Well what? She's terrified. I would be too after that."

"Yes, but one would think one would like all of ones friends there to protect one after such an ordeal."

"I'm not sure, she wasn't really up for talking much, but I think...I think he...raped...her. That could explain why she's uncomfortable around you two." Sango just stared into her soup sadly. _Poor Kagome. If only we could have found her faster!_

Inuyasha put down his bowl of ramen that he hadn't even touched yet. Now was as good a time as any, he supposed. "He did. And she's in heat."

"How did you find out, Inuyasha? Are you sure?"

"What, you think I would make up something like this? Of course I'm sure! I could smell it on her."

"Oh, no! What if she's...there's a baby? What'll we do?"

"She'll have to get rid of it, of course. As soon as possible."

"You can't make that decision for Kagome! We don't even know if she is yet."

Inuyasha just looked at Sango with a no-nonsense look on his face. "When youkai mate and the female becomes with child, the father gains a kind of empathic control over his mate. It grows stronger the longer the pregnancy lasts. Kagome's human. There's no way to know how dangerous such a bond could be to her." He leaped into a tree to sulk with his feelings by himself.

Sango made another bowl of soup and took it back to the hut to see if her friend was awake enough to eat. When she walked in, Kagome was sitting up against the wall, staring into space. "Kagome? Are you alright?"

"Oh, hi Sango! Yeah, I'm ok. Everything hurts still, but I'm ok." She smiled brightly at her friend.

"I brought you some soup. Are you hungry?" She knelt down next to Kagome so she could feed it to her easier.

"Oh, thanks Sango. Here, gimme, I can feed myself..." She reached out to take the bowl, but Sango saw the winces of protesting muscles.

"No you don't. You're still healing. No one's watching us in here for you to feel embarrassed by, so I'm gonna do it." She moved the bowl out of her reach. Kagome pouted but sighed also in relief. She really wasn't feeling up to moving very much. Sango helped her to lie back down when she was done eating and Shippou curled up next to her head.

"Sango? Will you tell Inuyasha that I want to go home soon?"

"Of course, Kagome. We'll take you back as soon as you're well enough to travel again. You know, he's been very worried about you. We had to fight through Kagura and a puppet. Inuyasha finished both of them in record time to get to you faster."

"I know. It's not anyone's fault this happened. I... Please don't leave me alone, Sango. I don't want to be alone..." Her eyes started to droop closed.

"Shh...I'm here with you. Go to sleep now and get some rest." She motioned for Shippou to go out and tell the others that she'd be spending the night with her friend and to not come in looking for her. She watched as Kagome snuggled into Inuyasha's shirt and fell asleep before she lay out a sleeping mat for herself and drifted off.


	6. Chapter 6

Sango woke up to the sound of someone rustling about. She was instantly up and on her feet, looking for the intruder.

"Good morning, Sango! Sorry to wake you, I was just looking for some things in my bag." Kagome looked up at her sheepishly. She'd really been trying to discreetly wake up her friend without it looking like that, but she hadn't meant to frighten her! _Oh, well. At least she's awake now._ She pulled out a math book. "I might as well get caught up on my studies while we're stuck here, right?"

"Oh. Um, sure. Studies are good, I guess." Sango had never been able to figure out what all the symbols next to the numbers in the books meant. Kagome'd tried to teach her once, but she just got too confused. "Can I get you anything now that I'm up, Kagome?"

"No, why don't you just stay in here for a bit? Shippou brought some breakfast in a little bit ago, I think it's over by the door."

Sango sighed and retrieved her bowl of 'oats meal'. Kagome was always trying to keep her in the hut with her, and while she loved her like a sister, she also liked being outside once in awhile! But she wasn't being fair. Kagome might be acting a little more like normal, but she was still recovering from her ordeal.

Inuyasha's voice came calling into the hut. "Hey, Sango! Think you could help us out over here?!" Shippou came hurtling in through the mat door and skidded to a halt next to Kagome. Sango sighed, quirked an apologetic smile at her friend, and bustled out to see what Inuyasha wanted.

"Oh, Shippou, are you alright?" Kagome hugged the little kitsune close.

"I'm ok, you don't need to worry about me! I'm a full demon, I can handle him!" Shippou puffed out his chest and she couldn't help but grin at her littlest protector.

"What would I do without you, Shippou?" All of a sudden they heard a lot of banging and Inuyasha cursing from outside. "What on Earth are they doing out there?"

"They're making a surprise for you, Kagome! Everyone knows you've been really sad cooped up in here for the last week, so we wanted to cheer you up!"

"Oi, brat, it's not a surprise if you tell her first!" Inuyasha stepped into room, glaring daggers at Shippou. He tried not to notice the way Kagome flinched away from him as he stepped a little nearer. "Can I take you outside, Kagome, so you can see your surprise?" he asked in a surprisingly gentle tone.

"Err, sure...I guess..." Kagome grabbed up Shippou in a hug so that he would have to take both of them. She was now recovered enough that she could wear her school uniform without it scraping against the last few remaining cuts; all that was still a problem were her two broken legs, which were in splints. Inuyasha picked her up gently, making sure he supported her legs so as not to hurt her too much. She gasped at the scene that greeted her outside. They had made a sort of bucket chair out of some extra clothes tied to a wooden frame with a long seat, made for some to be able to stretch out comfortably on. It was tied to a bunch of ropes and what appeared to be a harness lying next to it. Sango helped Inuyasha lower her carefully onto the seat and she knelt next to her friend while he went to get the rest of their things out of the hut.

"We know you're anxious to get home, and this was the fastest and safest way we could think of to get you back to the village. Kirara will pull you up with that harness, so you can fly in comfort without having to worry about your injuries. It's really quite comfortable, too! I got to give it a test flight earlier." Sango grinned at her friend hoping she would be pleased with their surprise.

"Oh, Sango..." Kagome's eyes glistened with tears threatening to fall. "I'm so sorry! I don't mean to be such a bother to everyone. You didn't have to go through all this trouble for me, I'm sure I would've been fine riding Kirara like usual if you guys were that anxious to dump me off at the well..." Like a dam burst, the tears started to fall uncontrollably and she buried her face in her hands.

Miroku rushed over to them and took one of her hands in his. "Lady Kagome! Do not think you are being a burden on us. We did this for you because you are our friend."

"We just wanted to bring you home, like you asked. You do want to go home still, don't you?"

"No, I didn't mean that!" Kagome jerked her hand back from Miroku and rubbed her eyes dry. "I mean, yes I want to go home. Thank you for doing this for me, I really appreciate it. I'm sorry; I really didn't mean to burst out like that. I don't know what came over me. But really, I'm not worth all this trouble..."

"Of course you are, Lady Kagome. This is part of what friends do for each other."

Inuyasha walked out of the hut carrying Kagome's giant bag on his back. "Feh. Are you idiots ready to go yet?"

Sango leaned close to Kagome and whispered in her ear. "Besides, this is the only way we could convince Inuyasha to let you travel." Kagome acquiesced, and before long Kirara was strapped up and they were on their way back to the village. She soon fell asleep lulled by the light rocking of her chair in the winds.

.. 

Kagome's dream

_Kagome leaned against a tree, enjoying the bright morning sunshine. It was a beautiful day out and she'd come here to enjoy a picnic with her friends. No one else had arrived yet, but she was confident they'd be there soon. For now, she would just relax._

Soon Miroku and Sango appeared around the bend of a hillock arm in arm. Kagome smiled to see that they had finally got their feelings for each other out into the open. They didn't even seem to notice her; they were so engrossed with each other as they sat down at the picnic blanket. Well, if that made them happy, she could let them live in their little world for now.

_Inuyasha followed soon after. She was just about to get up and pass out food when the shadow of another person appeared behind the small hill everyone was coming from. Inuyasha stopped not far in front of it, as if waiting for someone. Kikyou came around the corner cradling Shippou in her arms. Inuyasha's face lit up with joy and he gave her a small kiss on the lips before joining Sango and Miroku at the blanket._

_"Inuyasha? What are you doing!" Kagome crumpled into the tree she'd been leaning against before. Inuyasha appeared to be ignoring her. "Inuyasha?" She ran over to him, ready to wrench him away from the traitorous witch. She grabbed his arm only to watch as her hand passed right through it._ What's going on?_ She tried tapping Sango on the shoulder with the same result. _I guess I'm just supposed to watch..._ She sat numbly back at her tree to watch the scene unfold._

_"Mama, can I go play by the spring over there?" Shippou looked up at Kikyou with his cutest and most pleading eyes._

_"Sure, Shippou. You know I can never deny you anything." She patted him on the head and smiled as he scampered off. Inuyasha put his arm around her and she leaned into the embrace._

_"Isn't it wonderful now that we've killed of Naraku and his bitch? Everyone is so much happier now." Sango leaned over to Miroku for a kiss. "I can't believe we ever let her travel with us."_

_"Yes, with her gone we've all found our true loves. The jewel is restored and life couldn't get better."_

_"What about you, Inuyasha? Don't you miss her even a little bit?" Miroku asked curiously._

_"Feh. Why should I? Bitch pretended to like me then turns around and mates with our number one enemy? She deserves worse then the hell I sent her to!" He spit on the ground._

.. 

Kagome woke up with tears sliding down her cheeks. They were still flying on their way to the village. _They're right. I have no right to expect them to accept after what I did. I could have killed him, or at least prevented... but I didn't. We could be out gathering the last of the jewel shards right now, but I'm slowing everyone down. I'm just an unwanted burden to them._

A/N: Sorry it took so long to get this one up. I've been trying to get them up pretty quickly but moving into a new college kinda took up a bunch of my writing time . Thanks for everyone that's reviewed; they really help give me inspiration to write more! Next chapter should be up in a few days. Enjoy!


	7. Chapter 7

They arrived late that night in front of Kaede's hut. The old priestess came bustling outside to see what the commotion was about looking more than half asleep. Inuyasha rudely elbowed his way past her carrying a sleeping Kagome into the hut. He came back outside to find Kaede blocking his way. "Move it, hag."

"Inuyasha. Just what is going on here? What has happened to Kagome?!"

"What's it look like happened? I can't be babysitting people all the time!" He glowered and leaped from rooftop to rooftop until he got back to the forest where he could be alone with his thoughts. "Little idiot. Its not my fault if she gets herself kidnapped. I even told her to stay close, but does she ever listen to me? Feh! She deserves what happened if she's gonna be stupid. Feh! FehFehFeh!" He kept trying to 'feh' his thoughts into oblivion as he came to rest on a branch overlooking the well. He sighed and cradled his Tetsusaiga close. _No, _you're_ the idiot, Inuyasha. You couldn't protect her. This is all your fault. She knows it, too. She was counting on me to protect her, and now she can't even glance at me without a look of fear crossing her face. _"AARGH!" He punched a giant hole through the tree trunk, the echo reverberating through the trees. _Just being around me hurts everyone one I care about... All right, she's going home once she's well enough. Then I'm sealing the well. Then no one will ever be able to hurt her again._ Inuyasha closed his eyes and one lone tear dripped down his cheek.

.. 

"And so we've been waiting for the majority of her wounds to heal before we brought her back. We wanted to take everything nice and so for her, she's been in a fragile state of mind lately." Miroku finished explaining to Kaede what had happened around the fire in her home.

"I see. When she wakes, I will talk with her and see what may be done. The splints look very well done, she should be up and walking in a couple more weeks. Now, ye both look tired. Why don't we all try to get some sleep?"

"There is one more thing, Lady Kaede, that Inuyasha mentioned. He said that when youkai mate and the female becomes with child, the male gains emotional control of her mind. He didn't know how such a union might affect Lady Kagome. Do you think she will be alright?"

"I do not think there is anything to worry about. Kagome is a strong miko; her powers would have prevented any daemon's conception within her body." Kaede pulled out extra sleeping mats for them to lie on, making sure that Sango stayed close to Kagome as that conveniently put herself between the girls and Miroku.

The next morning dawned bright and sunny with a faint chill in the air. Sango got up and stretched and walked outside. She stumbled over a log in the doorway that appeared to have strayed from the new woodpile stacked against the hut. _Strange, these don't appear to have been cut with an axe. It looks more like claw marks on them. _She shrugged. _Oh well. It's too early to be curious._ She made her way on to the outhouse.

Kagome woke the next morning from the sharp jabs of pain running up her leg. "OWWWW!"

"Forgive me, Kagome. I was just readjusting your splints." Kaede tied it back tight. "Your friends did a good job for ones not trained in the healing arts."

"Yes, Sango has been very helpful. She took good care of me."

"Oh? Did not Inuyasha and Miroku aid ye?" She sat cross-legged in front of her fire and began making a stew of some sort.

"Why would they want to? After all the trouble they went through to find Naraku, and then it wasn't even him they fought, just a puppet. I'm surprised they stayed as long as they did. Even...even Inuyasha has a look of disgust on his face every time I even glance at him. They must hate me for what I've done, Kaede." The tears began to slip from her eyes again and she stared into the fire.

"Kagome, what happened was in no way your fault. Ye must not allow yourself to think this way." She found a damp piece of cloth and wiped the tears away. "Naraku is a despicable villain. Inuyasha's disgust is not aimed at you, but at he which sunk so low to attack a defenseless woman."

"Thank you, Lady Kaede." She managed a weak smile. Let the old priestess believe that if she wished, but Kagome knew the truth. They all hated her and were just waiting until they could dump her off in the well and be rid of her. A feeling of queasiness began to rise in her stomach. "Erf...Lady Kaede, I need a bucket or something! I think I'm going to be sick!" _Maybe they're trying to poison me off instead._

She finished emptying her stomach and Kaede went out to dispose of the bucket. Sango peeked in when she saw the priestess leave. "Kagome? Is everything alright?"

"Yes, I just had an upset stomach for some reason." _Is that disappointment on her face?_

"Alright. If you need anything, just call for us, everyone's outside."

"Thanks, Sango. I'll be ok for now though. I just need to be alone for a bit, right now please."

Sango nodded and went back out to join the men who were sitting together in the shade of the hut. She sat down and Kirara jumped into her lap mewing. She petted the neko youkai absently.

"Well?!" Inuyasha nearly spat the words out at Sango. He was glaring intently at her.

"Well what? She said she's fine. She said she wanted to be alone, so I left her alone."

"This is strange. The Lady Kagome has been trying very hard to keep you at her side every waking moment, and now she asks you to leave? Not that we do not enjoy your lovely company, Sango." Miroku flashed his most winning smile at her.

"Stuff it, monk. Anyone who throws up for no reason is not ok. And it is odd that she asked you to leave." Inuyasha glared pensively into the wall; as if he stared hard enough all the answers would be written clear there.

"Now that I think about it, she did seem a little eager for me to leave. Almost like she was angered or frightened of me."

Inuyasha just "Feh!"'d and leaped back into a tree where he could be alone with his thoughts._ Of course she's angry with us. I betrayed her trust. I couldn't protect her._

.. 

Kaede returned to the hut to find Kagome apparently asleep. She quietly went about finishing her soup that she'd been cooking, waiting for Kagome to speak what was on her mind.

"Lady Kaede?" Kagome opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling.

"Yes, child?" She continued to stir her pot.

"You know a lot about potions."

"Aye."

"And you know lots about a miko's energies."

"Aye."

"Ok. Thank you." She closed her eyes again. She just couldn't bring herself to reveal that she'd lost the ability to use her powers. It was too humiliating.


	8. Chapter 8

The next two weeks passed slowly for everyone. Kagome refused to talk to anyone except Kaede for very long, not even to Shippou. The little kitsune was very confused by this and hurt; he didn't quite understand what _he'd_ done to earn this treatment. Inuyasha stayed in the forest most of the time. Every night a new pile of firewood would appear next to the hut and there were rumors that youkai activities had been unusually quiet in that area recently. Sango and Miroku, however, were enjoying themselves and getting to know one another a little better.

The two were sitting in front of an abandoned hut that the group had claimed for themselves when they saw Kagome walk unsteadily out of Kaede's hut. They rushed over to her side and grabbed an elbow each.

"Lady Kagome, are you sure you should be up and about so soon?"

"Why not? Or was it more convenient to have me stuck in that hole out of sight?" She jerked her arms free and stumbled a little. She steadied herself and glared at the two. "I'm going home." With that she was racing off into the woods on unsteady legs, tripping more often than not.

"Kagome! Come back!" Sango started to run after her. Miroku grabbed her arm as she ran past, pulling her back.

"Let her go. She does not want to be with us for now. She appears to be walking all right, so she should make it to the well fine. It is not that far. Let us go inform Inuyasha of these new developments."

They found him sitting on the roof of a hut at the far end of the village. He came down when they told them what had happened. "So? What do I care what she does?" _Damn. She must _really_ hate me. Didn't even say goodbye or nothin'. _"Now that we're not bein' slowed down, we can go get some jewel shards!"

* * *

"Excellent. Things are working out better than I had planned. You may go now, Kanna." _My control over the human whore is even stronger than I had hoped for. She will prove to be an adequate mother for my heir. When I join with the demon born from such a powerful union, I will be near invincible! _

* * *

Kagome climbed out of the well in her time and sat on the steps leading out to the door. _Even Sango is after me now. What am I going to do?_ A feeling of anger welled up within her at her friends. _If they want me dead, I'll just stay over here where they can't get me!_ She resolutely began the walk back to her room. She entered the house and marched straight past her family's happy greetings. If she stopped now, she would break down in tears and she didn't want to embarrass herself in front of her family like that. She finally reached her room and threw herself onto the bed, letting her tears loose. The cat, Buyou, had followed her into her room and jumped on to the bed next to Kagome, purring softly. She scratched his head a little bit. Before long, Kagome lay in an exhausted sleep. 

_Kagome woke in a darkened room. She couldn't see anything around her, but it felt like she was hanging by her wrists. She hung there, confused, for quite awhile and was starting to drift back to sleep when a faint rectangular outline of light appeared a couple yards away from her. The light got bigger and she realized it was a door. A shadow broke the light as someone walked into her room and closed the door; she was shrouded again in darkness._

_"Who are you?"_

_Icy fear gripped her heart when she heard the soft chuckle. "Why my dear Kagome, do you not remember your mate?" She heard the rattle of chains, and then she was lying sprawled on the floor. "I will just have to remind you then!" _

_"No! Not again!" She was dragged into a pile of moldy straw and heard a soft 'chink!' as her chain was clipped into place._

_Naraku chuckled again. "My new mate must have a proper bed for the begetting of my offspring." There was a soft 'swish' of clothing falling._

_"NO! I'm not your mate! Get away from me! INUYASHA, HELP ME!" She struggled against her chains. "OW!" She cried out as a whip cracked out across her cheek._

_"Be still, bitch! Your hanyou can't hear you in this place. There is no one to help you."_

_She felt something heavy fall over her and she screamed. "No, not again! Please, not again!"_

"AAH!" Kagome bolted up at the sharp pain in her hand. She pulled it up and looked at the wound. _Teeth marks?_ "Buyou? You did this?" The cat glanced towards her then started washing his tail. "Oh, thank you Buyou." She hugged him close against her chest. "Silly kitty, probably didn't even know what you were doing, but thank you. What a horrible dream!"

_It wasn't all a dream, my Kagome._ Naraku's voice reverberated in her mind.

Kagome froze. It was just a dream, wasn't it? Not real...

_I am very real, Kagome. I can see and feel everything you do because you carry my child. And once he is born, you will die._

"How did you follow me here? Go away! I don't have anyone's child! Leave me alone!"

* * *

Inuyasha sat in front of the group's pre-empted hut listening to Sango and Miroku chatter on about nothings. Shippou was off playing with Kirara and the other village children. The day slowly wore on while he stared at the same speck of dirt. Towards sunset the children started to return home from their games and ran happily to their mother's arms. The men began coming home from where they had been working in the fields all day, every one of them had the eager, expectant look of one who knows that he is returning to a hot meal and a loving family. Shippou appeared around a corner being chased playfully by Kirara and jumped onto Miroku's shoulder to escape. Sango went inside to start dinner and the other three went to go help. Inuyasha's ear twitched a fly away absently as he stared. The first stars began to appear in the almost moonless sky. Inuyasha sighed. For the second time in his life, he really knew what it was to be alone. 

Suddenly a furry red head popped up under his arm, breaking his gloomy brooding. "What is it, Shippou?" He didn't even glance at the kitsune; he was too exhausted by life for the pretend anger he always hid behind.

"Why don't you just go back to her? I'm sure she's just waiting for you to come and get her, like usual."

"It's not that simple. She..." _She hates me for what I let happen._ "She's better off in her own time, out of danger."

Shippou crossed his arms over his chest and gave him a disgusted look. "You could at least bring her bag back, seeing as you're the only one who can cross the well now. She left it at Kaede's when she ran off."

Inuyasha didn't reply and went back to brooding. But the set of his ears projected a feeling of a little more hope.

Back in the hut, Shippou climbed back atop Miroku's shoulder. "Do you think it worked?" He whispered quietly.

"I think it worked just fine." Sango smiled proudly at him.

Later that night, Inuyasha quietly into Kaede's hut get the bag. He started to lift it up when everything spilled out with a loud clatter. He froze, hoping Kaede hadn't woken up. _Baka! Trying to announce to the whole world what you're up to?_ He turned the bag right side up and put everything back as quietly as he could. Double-checking to make sure it was still right side up, he ran into the night speeding for the well.

* * *

Kagome lay curled up in a ball on her bed, clutching at her head. She was whimpering and biting her lip to keep from screaming. 

_Now, isn't this fun? Scream for me, Kagome!_

Another memory bubbled to the front of her mind. She was back in chains, being dragged across the stone floor of Naraku's castle.

"No, leave me alone!" She was kicked down the long flights of stairs. "Get out of my head!" She tried to shove the memories away, to think about being home in the future. She was back on the wall, helpless as her mind's eye saw Naraku choose out a weapon.

_Ah, my dear, you have such a beautiful voice. Yell for me, cry for me!_

Kagome cried out as the cat o nine tails cut into her skin, feeling the sensation anew from her memories. "Someone, help!" she whimpered hoarsely into her pillow. "Inuyasha, make it stop!"

* * *

Inuyasha stood at the bottom of the well. He was starting to have second thoughts about this. _I could just leave it in a doorway or something; there's no need to see her. Then I won't have to hear her say 'go away'... But what if Shippou's right? What if she's not mad at me?_ He hopped out of the well. "Keh. Little idiot's probably fallen asleep by now anyway!" His walked gained a small bounce as he headed for the tree outside her window. He jumped onto the branch and peered into the window. All the lights were out, but he could make out the shape of her curled up on the bed. He opened the window and climbed in silently. 

"Inuyasha, make it stop!" Kagome writhed over the covers like she was being attacked, but he couldn't find a cause for it. He panicked, not knowing how to make it stop. It felt like his heart was being ripped out every time she twisted in pain.

"Kagome!" He sat her up lightly and hugged her close. "What's wrong, Kagome? Who's hurting you?"

She didn't answer right away. She shuddered again, crying silently. The memories started to fade slightly as she clung to him. "Hold me. Make it go away." Inuyasha enveloped her in the protective barrier of his arms. She focused on the sensations, on the arms around her that didn't attack, on the warm chest that supported her, on the beautiful face looking down on her with worry and not hunger or hate.

Inuyasha thought with wonder at the feelings breaking free inside him. As he held Kagome in comforting, protecting her from whatever demons where attacking her, he felt as if he had finally become whole, as if he had found the purpose for his life. He knew then the choice had been made a long time ago, that he would always be with Kagome. _I'm sorry, Kikyou, but this is where my soul is. You of all people should understand that._ He bent down and kissed the top of her head. "I will hold you forever, my Kagome."

_He...he doesn't hate me? _Kagome sniffled and loosed her death-grip on the front of his jacket. She slid her arms around him and cried softly, letting loose all the pain she held pent up inside.

When the tears slowed, Inuyasha stood up carefully, still cradling her close. "We need to go to Kaede now, Kagome. Are you ok to go back?"

There was a long pause. She wanted to stay as far away from Naraku as possible, but if 500 years couldn't make a difference, and if Kaede could make it stop...

Inuyasha felt a slight downward moving pressure against his chest. He took it for a nod and practically flew through the well.

* * *

A/N: Huzzah, Kagome and Inu are finally together! Don't worry though, this isn't over for a long time yet! And I think I will hurt whoever decided to not make my section breaks and italics not work properly [kicks it! kicks it aaaaalllll!] 

To inuyashatotallyobsessed: no, no one hates her. That was just her worries; Naraku used their connection to amplify it into a full-blow paranoia. That's why she's been overreacting about everything, pretty much, actually... poor Kagome!

Black Betty: She didn't know she was pregnant, and Kaede had assured everyone else that her miko powers would prevent that. (See, people, this is why keeping secrets is bad!) ;-)


	9. Chapter 9

* * *

Kagome clung to Inuyasha as he carried her out of the well and through the forest, finally arriving at Kaede's hut just as the sun started to rise. She could feel the presence of Naraku growing stronger in the back of her mind, but she forced herself to focus on Inuyasha, not letting him in. Inuyasha burst into the hut and prodded Kaede with his foot until she finally sat up.

"What is it, you disrespectful hanyou?" She cleared her eye and blinked, taking in the two before. "Oh... oh, my. What has happened?"

"Naraku's trying to take over her mind, that's what. She's pregnant!"

"But how can this be? Surely her miko powers would have prevented such an atrocity!"

Kagome looked up for the first time since Inuyasha had rescued her. Very quietly she whispered, "I...he blocked...my powers." The silence stretched for long moments as they stared at her in shock. Kagome cringed and tried to hide her face again in Inuyasha's fire rat coat.

He stopped her and gently pulled her face up to face him. "You little idiot," he said softly and brushed a stray piece of hair out of her eyes. "Why didn't you tell anyone?"

"I...It was too embarrassing... I didn't want everyone to have another reason to hate me. I didn't even think about...children. Is all this because of it?"

"It is one of the things unique to youkai mating. Females become dangerously emotional when with child, so the males evolved a way to help control it to protect them. At least, that's how it's supposed to work. The part I don't understand is, it is still early. He shouldn't have this kind of control over you for at least another two or three months."

"Could it be that he is using Shikon shards to strengthen the connection?" Kaede peered into Kagome's face. "Child, this might be hard for ye, but ye must remember he stole the powers."

Kagome hesitated. What if Naraku came back as she recalled the memories? She could feel him there, clawing at the weak wall she'd put up looking for the slightest hole in her defense. "No, I can't! He'll come back!"

Inuyasha squeezed her in a tight hug. "Don't worry about that, I'll protect you. If we can get your powers working, then he'll never be able to hurt you again."

"Promise you'll protect me, Inuyasha..."

"Always."

_Maybe _this_ is the dream... Inuyasha is saying and acting exactly as I've dreamed of him since the day we met. What has caused this transformation in him?_ "Alright, I'll do it." Inuyasha put her down on the ground and they sat cross-legged facing each other and holding hands. He squeezed her hands in encouragement; she took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

Kagome let down her barrier and tried to remember the last time she could reach her miko power. She felt a rush of power sweep over her and suddenly she was being held fiercely in a mans arms. _"Inuyasha? Where are you taking me?" she mumbled sleepily._

_"Heh heh heh..." The deep-throated chuckle brought her fully awake with a scream. "Inuyasha will soon be no more." _

_"Naraku! How'd I get here? Let me go!" Kagome struggled against his hold, trying to gather her miko energies to force her way free. _

_"Ah, poor little Kagome. So weak and defenseless without your powers. I gave you a potion that will block out your miko energy until I give you the antidote, which I doubt that I shall do. And don't think your hanyou lover will be coming to rescue you. I had you flown in, there is no way for him to track you!" _

An overwhelming sense of fear arose in her and she began to quake uncontrollably. She shouted aloud this time, slowly leaving her trance. "No, leave me alone! Get away from me!"

Inuyasha gathered her into his embrace. "Kagome! Come back, it's not real!" he whispered fiercely into her ear, rocking her gently. "Fight him off, Kagome!"

Kagome came fully awake and clutched at Inuyasha, breathing heavily. "I made it back. He's not there!" She smiled up at him, the first real smile she'd worn in almost a month.

"Heh. You didn't trust that I would protect you?" Inuyasha's heart melted at her expression and he smiled back to take the sting out of his words.

Kaede cleared her throat, reminding them of why they were there. "Do you have an answer, Kagome?"

She nodded. "He said it was a potion. It left a sort of bittersweet taste on my tongue and was very salty. Does that help?"

"Aye. I believe I know which potion he used. It is a soul-freezing agent, which helps explain why he was able to get inside your mind so quickly. Instead of removing your soul, it goes into a passive state, like a bear at wintertime. It would prevent any active use of you powers."

"That's all nice and wonderful. How do we get rid of it and the kid?" Inuyasha glared at the old priestess. All this talk was taking up way too much time.

"I have most of the things that I need here, but there are two herbs more that I require. I will need gotu kola leaves and dong quai root, both of which only grow near the shore. There is a village that farms rare herbs about three days ride from here."

"Heh. I can make it there by morning." Inuyasha flexed his claws. "I'm a half demon, remember? I don't do slow. You ready, Kagome?" She nodded.

Kaede passed her bow and a quiver of arrows to the young girl. "Even if ye cannot use these to your full effect yet, they will still offer some protection."

"Thank you, Kaede. I am truly sorry for all the trouble I'm making.

"Hush, child. It is not ye who are the troublemaker." She sat by her fire pit and starting building it up for the day ahead.

Inuyasha and Kagome walked out into the early morning hand in hand. They first stopped at 'their' hut to let Sango and Miroku know what was going on. They paused outside the door before going in and Kagome looked up at Inuyasha with a slightly worried expression. "You've left Sango alone with for _how_ many nights now?"

"Hey! She's an adult; she knows where Kaede lives! Don't look at me; I claim absolutely no responsibilities!"

Kagome sighed and went in. She was surprised to find the two sleeping at opposite ends of the room, with Shippou and Kirara in the middle. _Huh. Maybe he is virtuous after all._ She found a pointy stick next to the fire and with her free hand wrote a quick message in the dirt, giving them a brief update on what was happening.

Inuyasha huffed and looked up at the sky. "You ready to go yet? The days not gonna wait on us." He bent down so she could climb onto his back and they were off racing for the coast. _Gods, I have missed this._ He wasn't sure whether he meant the breeze blowing through his hair or having Kagome on his back where she belonged, or possibly both?

He was broken out of his musings when he felt Kagome push his hair aside so that she might see his face better. "Inuyasha?" she began hesitantly.

"Yeah?"

"Um...not to sound ungrateful, or anything, but... Why? Why are you being so nice to me all of a sudden?"

"Whaddaya mean? Are you tryin' to say I can't be nice if I feel like it?"

"No, it's just... I need to know your choice, Inuyasha. I don't think I could take it if you forgot me again. Not after this."

Inuyasha ran silently for a while, considering his words carefully. "I didn't have to make a choice, Kagome. I just finally opened my eyes to a few things. The person who walks now in Kikyou's image is not she. The Kikyou I thought I loved died over 50 years ago. This new one is just that, an image. She survives off stolen souls; the real Kikyou wouldn't do that." He fell silent again into a deep thought. Kagome pondered over this for a while, waiting until he seemed ready to talk again. "I also realized another thing, Kagome." He kept his face looking carefully ahead. "When you ran back to your time, I realized that you would probably never come back, not after everything that happened. I never noticed it before, but you've always been there for me, always supporting even though we both thought I would go with Kikyou." Inuyasha landed on a wide branch and Kagome slid off. He turned around to face her, cupping one of her hands in both of his. "I need to be with you, Kagome. Can you ever forgive me?" He drooped his head, looking up at her out of the corner of his eyes in the inu gesture of submission.

"Inuyasha..." Kagome's eyes began to shimmer. "Thank you." She threw her arms around him, hugging him tight. Inuyasha hugged her back, stroking her hair lightly. Soon he caught the scent of saltwater, accented by a soft sniff.

"Hey! I didn't say all that so you can cry at me! Stop that!"

"You jerk! These are tears of happiness! Do you know how long I've been waiting to hear those words?" She smiled up at him. "I'm so glad that you could finally open up like that to me. Thank you."

"Feh. Don't get used to it or nothin'." He turned around, looking up at the sky to take a quick cloud inventory.

_Was that a blush I just saw? _She smiled to herself. "Say, Inuyasha, it's getting kinda late, and we didn't get very much sleep yesterday. Lets stop here for the night.

"What, you tired already?" He didn't wait for a response; he just lifted her down to the ground. "I think there's a stream nearby. We'll make camp there." They walked on for another half hour or so before coming upon the stream. Inuyasha jumped into it and started going after the fish while Kagome set about getting a fire ready. She just got the fire going when he came back carrying four fish.

"Wow, that was fast. Why four? There're only two of us."

"No harm in having extra." He shrugged. They cleaned and spitted two of the fish, sitting side by side as they watched the sunset. The last rays of sun sparkled off his hair and Kagome couldn't help but stroke it, it was so beautiful. As the light faded, she gasped, watching the silver hairs turn black.

"Oh, no! Inuyasha, I'm sorry! I forgot what night it was!"

"Don't worry about it." He smiled at her and put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close to him again. "Today was worth it." He reached over and pulled the fish off the spit, giving one to her.

_Is this why he's being so open, because it's his human night?_ She accepted the fish and munched quietly, lost in her thoughts. She didn't notice that she was gnawing on the stick until Inuyasha took it out of her hands and gave her one of the extras.

He smiled down at her. "Does the wood taste good?"

She blushed. "I'm sorry. I guess I didn't realize how hungry I am; it's usually all I can do to finish one."

"You're eating for two now, remember? At least you are for a little while longer at any rate. Of course you're hungry." She felt less silly when she noticed he was on his second, too.

"And how many are you eating for?"

"I'm bigger than you. I need more food!" He stuck his tongue out her in retort.

Kagome grinned. _He's behaving like a carefree little kid! I can't remember ever seeing him so happy. _She finished her fish quickly and threw the stick aside and then grabbed his out of his hands.

"Hey! I wasn't finished with that!" He made to grab it back.

"You don't need any more, or you're going to start getting fat."

He pouted, looking indignant. "I will not get fat! Give it back!"

"Nope." She giggled and attacked his ribs, tickling him. After a minute, she realized something was missing. He wasn't laughing. He wasn't squirming.

"Err...Kagome, what're you doing?" He blinked at her, thoroughly confused by her antics.

"Um...you're not ticklish, are you?" She turned beet red, feeling exceptionally foolish.

"Nope."

"Not at all?"

"Not at all." And now it was his turn to grin. "But I know someone who is."

"Really? Who?" She scooted away a few inches.

"Oh, I think you already know." He got a predatory glint in his eye, which made her scoot back even faster, but not fast enough. Inuyasha tackled her to the ground and began tickling her mercilessly. Kagome giggled helplessly, writhing under his pleasantly torturing fingers. She tried to roll him off, but he just rolled with her. They rolled until Inuyasha noticed her breath coming in short gasps. He halted over her, looking down into her laughing face and felt the pure bliss of carefree happiness.

Kagome's breath caught when she realized Inuyasha had stopped playing. She looked into his beautiful brown eyes. Then she noticed the position they were in and felt a subconscious pang of fear.

Inuyasha saw the look that crossed her face and noticed also for the first time where they were. He rolled over and helped her sit up. "Are you alright?"

Kagome straightened her outfit a bit. "Yep!" She grinned at him.

Inuyasha smiled and took her hand, leading the way back to the fire. When they got there, he took off his robe and laid it on the ground. "Its not as comfy as your sleeping bag..."

"Won't you be cold?"

"Feh. Don't worry about me. I'm used to it. You should get some sleep."

"You'll stay with me?" He nodded. "Ok." She made sure her bow was in reach of both of them, they were going to need any help they could get if they were attacked tonight. Seeing everything was satisfactory, Kagome lay down on the makeshift blanket. Inuyasha sat next to her and watched as she fell asleep. He reached over and drew the other side of his jacket around her. He sighed. Never could he remember being so relaxed as this on a night of the new moon. But never before had he confessed his feelings to a woman, and even better, he hadn't been rejected. Tonight was easily the best night of his entire life, no matter how defenseless he might be, no matter that Kagome was still with his most hated enemy's child. Tonight he had found heaven in his Kagome.

Kagome awoke the next morning just before dawn. She started at the sound of an all too familiar voice chuckling over her head and scrambled for her bow and quiver. She was standing with an arrow loaded aimed at Naraku's heart in one swift movement. "You! What are you doing here? Where's Inuyasha!"

"Heh heh heh... I killed him just for you, Kagome. He took a step towards her, reaching out a hand as if to strangle her.

* * *

"Kagome! What're you doing?" Inuyasha stood back from her in surprise.

"You! What are you doing here? Where's Inuyasha?"

"I'm right here, Kagome. Don't you remember me?" Inuyasha reached for her, hoping that contact between them would bring her back again.

"Don't come any closer! It was foolish of you to come here, Naraku. Today I will kill you!"

"Kagome, listen to me! There's no one here! It's all in your mind; you have to fight this off!" Inuyasha stood as still as he could, not daring to move an inch. _How could Naraku take over her mind so completely? I thought we had blocked him out!_

* * *

Kagome flinched as she saw the hand reach for her, but then gathered her resolve and re-aimed the arrow. "Don't come any closer!" She smirked. "It was foolish of you to come here, Naraku. Today I will kill you!"

"Go ahead, Kagome. Shoot me if you can. Your arrows are powerless; you can't harm me." Naraku stood there mocking, not making the slightest move to defend himself.

"First tell me why you are here. Why have you been doing this to me!"

"Isn't it obvious, Kagome? A child conceived from the most powerful demon and priestess powers? Once melded within my own body, I will be invincible! Shoot me if you dare, human!

* * *

"First tell me why you are here. Why have you been doing this to me!"

Inuyasha glanced nervously at the sky, willing the sun to rise faster. _If she shoots me while I'm still human, there will be no way I can survive. I will not die without her knowing who she shoots! _"I will not let you kill me, Kagome. Not like this, anyway." He felt the transformation begin as the first rays of sun peeked through the leaves.

"Die, Naraku!" Kagome loosed her arrow.

* * *

"Die, Naraku!" Kagome loosed the arrow with a grim smile on her face. She nodded, satisfied, as she saw him tumble backward, with an arrow protruding from his shoulder. She had aimed for his heart, but her aim had been a bit off lately. She loaded another arrow. "Defend yourself, monster!" This time it landed in his stomach.

Naraku lurched and fell to his knees, coughing up bits of blood. Then he smiled and evil smile at her. "So predictable, Kagome. Now I have won!" He fell forward and didn't move again.

Kagome gasped as she felt something dark and heavy lift from her mind, surprised that she hadn't noticed it there before. She fell to her knees and stared at the ground, which was slowly growing brighter. _I've done it! I killed Naraku! I'm free!_

She looked up to make sure he was still dead, then cried out in horror as the black and purple robes before her melted into bright red. "Oh, no! Inuyasha!" She ran to him and rolled him over onto his back, resting his head on her lap. She noticed with fear that his eyes where still closed and his hair still black. "Please be alive, Inuyasha!"

"Heh. Of course I am." His voice was soft, lips barely moving. "I told you I wouldn't let you kill me." The sun finally rose completely, bathing the little area in a golden light. He reverted back to his normal hanyou form and opened his eyes, looking up at her with love. He reached up with his undamaged hand to caress her cheek. "Not after last night." His hand fell back down and he closed his eyes again.


End file.
